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Pages from the Past Collection

Pages from the Past is a collection of manuscript and rare book leaves compiled and sold by a New York book dealer Alfred W. Stites from 1964 to 1967.

Each set of Pages from the Past is unique. This collection is labeled Set no. I, “The History of the Written Word”. This is version “B” from the Stites’ third “release” of sets. Within the set I it is no.14 of 15 sets.

Box I (FF 1- 23)

Box Inventory

Title sheet with limitation statement.

Leaf from a 12th century manuscript, Officium Beate Marie Virginis. By an Italian scribe. This vellum leaf comes from a work of approximately 300 pages from a collection of Lord Berwick of Shrewsbury, England.

Leaf from Registrum Brevium, a legal manuscript dated ca. 1350 which records the judicial proceeding in the reign of King Edward III. Vellum. Latin script looks like Carolingian miniscule. Red and blue painted initial letters separate the recorded items.

Leaf from the “Sermons” of Simon de Cremona, 1434, from the scriptorium at Carthusian monastery at Buxheim. Scribe Caspar Misnensis finished this writing on the fifth day before the feast of Saint Erasmus the Martyr in 1434. Linen paper.

From a German manuscript on vellum ca. 1450. German Gothic upright script. Blue and red initials.

Leaf from Biblia Latina, an incunabule printed in Venice in 1473 by Reynsburch Reynaldi de Nouvimagio. (32 x 21 cm.)

Leaf (p. 119) from the Liber sextus decretalium of Pope Boniface VIII; this leaf is from the edition printed at Venice in 1572. (24 x 18 cm.)

Leaf (p. 115) from Commentariorum in Ordinationes Regias Castellae, a Spanish law book containing a compilation of the ordinances of Castile; printed in the shop of Dominicus à Portonariis at the expense of Vincentius à Portonariis, Salamanca, 1574. (28 x 19 cm.)

Leaf from a Roman missal, issued in accordance with the decrees of the Council of Trent, and printed by the heirs of Lucantonio di Giunta at Venice in 1576. (17 x 12 cm.)

Leaf (p. 667) from Plutarch's Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romanes, translated, out of the French version of Bishop Amyot, by Sir Thomas North; printed by Thomas Vautrollier at London in 1579. (31 x 22 cm.)

Leaf (p. 1225) from the sermons of John Calvin, translated from the French by Arthur Golding; printed by Henry Middleton for George Bishop, London, 1583. (28 x 19 cm.)

Leaf (p. 86) from Estatutos Generales de Barcelona, a book of religious statutes, brought out in Mexico, by Pedro Ocharte, in 1585. (19 x 15 cm.)

Leaf (p. 30) from Anatome Corporis Humani, by Juan Valverde de Amusco, an Italian translation from the author's original manual in Spanish; early work on hygiene from the Giunta Press (in Venice) and published 1586. (30 x 22 cm.)

Leaf 96 from The Four Bookes of Husbandry, collected by Conrad Heresbach and translated by Barnaby Googe. "Imprinted at London for Thomas Wight, dwelling in Paules Churchyarde, Anno Domini, 1596." (19 x 14 cm.)

Leaf from The New Testament of Iesus Christ faithfully translated into English … by the English College then resident in Rhemes, printed by Daniel Vervliet at Antwerp in 1600. (p.271-272)

Leaf from Spieghel der Schriftkonste, a book of calligraphy, by Jan van den Velde, printed in Rotterdam in 1605. (22 x 33 cm.)

Leaf from the first King James Bible in a popular edition. Printed and published by Robert Barker, the King's printer, London, 1612. (22 x 16 cm.)

Leaf (Lib I, 33) from Book of European Travels, written by George Sandys, the well-known translator of Ovid in London, 1615. (28 x 18 cm.)

Leaf (p. 48, sect. 1) from A Display of Heraldrie, by John Guillim, printed at London by Thomas Cotes for Jacob Blome, in 1638. (27 x 19 cm.)

Leaf from a book of rituals of the Anglican Church, printed at London in 1639 by Robert Barker. (28 x 18 cm.)

Leaf (p. 364) from the Workes of Benjamin Jonson, printed by Richard Bishop at London in 1640. (29 x 18 cm.)

Leaf from a 17th century Italian manuscript, by "Perlone Zipoli," a transparent anagram under which Lorenzo Lippi, the well-known painter, chose to hide his authorship. (26 x 19 cm.)

Leaf (p. 311) from an Italian manuscript, written about the middle of the 17th century, by Theodorus Amydenius, a lawyer in the Roman Curia. (32 x 22 cm.)

Leaf (D1, p. 39) from De Indiae Utriusque, Re Naturali et Medica, an illustrated work on the natural history of "Both Indies," by William Piso, printed by the Elzevir at their Amsterdam press in 1658. (37 x 23 cm.)

Thesaurus brevium, or, A collection of approved forms of writs, and pleadings to those writs…”, Printed by W. Rawlins, S. Roycroft, and M. Flesher, assigns of Richard and Edward Atkins Esquiresat, London in 1687.

Leaf from the New World of Words, collected and published by Edward Phillips and printed by W.R. for Robert Harford at London in 1678. (32 x 20 cm.)

Leaf (p. 33) from High Court of Chancery, from the reign of Charles II. Printed at London in 1697, by John Walthowe. (32 x 19 cm)

Leaf (p. 159) from the first printed translation in Irish of the Old Testament. The title page runs as follows: "The books of the Old Testament, translated into Irish by … Doctor William Bedel…" Printed in London, 1685, the edition being limited to five hundred. (24 x 19 cm.)

Leaf (p. 45) from an Increase Mather sermon of 1665, an American incunabula leaf. This comes from the hand of the brother Cotton Mather, although there was a sister named Increase. (15 x 9 cm.)

Leaf (Aaaaa, p. 365) from a Scotch law book, entitled, Observations on the Acts of Parliament, made by King James I to King Charles II, by Sir George Mackenzie. Printed by the heir of Andrew Anderson at Edinburgh in 1686. (30 x 19 cm.)

Leaf (p. 594) from The Extant Works of Clement of Alexandria, with textual emendations by Friedrich Sylburgh, and a recension of the Latin translation by Daniel Heinsius; issued by Jeremiah Schrey and Heinrich Johann Meyer, at Cologne, in 1688. (36 x 24 cm.)

Leaf (fig. 46) from Medalische Historie der Republyk Van Holland, a volume of copper engravings. Pierre Bizot was the author of this book. This leaf is from the 2nd edition printed in Amsterdam in 1690. (23 x 18 cm.)

Leaf (cover page from Anno Regni) from Parliamentary Acts passed during the reign of William III of England, and printed by Charles Bill and the Executrix of Thomas Newcomb, printers to His Majesty, at London, 1695-1698. (28 x 18 cm.)

Leaf from The Georgies of Virgil. (IV, p. 138) Dryden's translation of Virgil, published by Jacob Tonson at London in 1697. (37 x 23 cm.)

From Bickham Copperplate: The British monarchy, or, A new chorographical description of all the dominions subject to the king of Great Britain …with maps of each county in a new taste, (p. 138, describing South Wales) published by George Bickham at London, in 1749.

Leaf (p. 297) from The Sonnets of Antonmaria Salvini, issued at Florence, in 1728, by the press of H.R.H. Grand Duke of Tuscany. (27 x 19 cm.)

Leaf (m) from Tables of logarithms, for all numbers from 1 to 102100, with other useful and necessary tables. By a land surveyor William Gardiner, and printed in London by G. Smith in 1742. (29 x 24 cm.)

Leaf (p. 298) from a Latin manuscript entitled Candidum Puritatis Lilium. A treatise on logic written by one Julianus Antonius a Jaurigui in Guatemala, and "most worthily consecrated" to D. Aloysius Gonzaga. (21 x 16 cm.)

Leaf (p. 443) from the 3rd edition of Christopher Saur's German Bible, printed by him at Germantown, Pennsylvania, in 1776. (26 x 20 cm.)

Leaf (AaV, p. 345) from the Works of Shakespeare, printed and published by Bioren and Madan at Philadelphia in 1796. (17 x 11 cm.)

Leaf from an illuminated Persian manuscript from the early Nineteenth Century. On glazed paper with embellishments in gold, from a collection of poetry from Sanā'ī, Nezāmi, Sa‘di, and Hāfez.

Leaf (p. 93) from a Greek miniature, printed at Oxford in 1810 by N. Bliss. This leaf is a fine example of Greek type, set to the classic Iliad. (12 x 7 cm.)

Leaf (p. 213) from the Fables of Aesop, with designs on wood by Thomas Bewick, printed by E. Walker for T. Bewick and Son, Newcastle-on-Tyne, 1823. (22 x 14 cm.)

Two miniature leaves:

Leaf (p. 59) from an edition of Horace, printed from a specially designed type, and published by A. Mesnier at Paris in 1828. (8 x 5 cm.)

Leaf (p. 481, Hh) from a History of Savoy, one of the "Republic Series" issued by the celebrated house of Elzevir at Leyden in 1634. (11 x 6 cm.)

Leaf from The NewYork Mirror and Ladies' Literary Gazette, the 7th volume (No. 42, Sat,. April 24, 1830). Printed by J. Seymour at New York in 1829 and 1830. (32 x 26 cm.)

Leaf (plate LXXVIII: Isiah Complaineth of Judah’s Rebellion) from Icones Veteris Testamenti, or, Illustrations of the Old Testament, from designs by Holbein. Published by William Pickering and printed by Charles Whittingham, who, with his nephew, conducted the Chiswick Press, and bears the imprint, London, 1830. (20 x 13 cm.)

Leaf (p. 339) from The Book of Gems: the Poets and Artists of Great Britain, edited by S.C. Hall, with the imprint of Saunders and Otley, London, 1837. (23 x 14 cm.)

Leaf (plate XIX) from Natural History Lithography, by Ebenezer Emmons, M.D., published by the State of New York in 1851 and printed by Charles Van Benthuysen of Albany, New York. (29 x 22 cm.)

Leaf (plate 87, entitled, "Common Tern") from an Audubon lithograph, printed at New York in 1856. The second edition of the most famous set of bird prints in the world. This leaf is from The Quadrapeds and is an original engraving, as Audubon was both the artist and the engraver on stone. (27 x 17 cm.)

Leaf (p. 441) from a French missal, from the press of J. Claye, Paris, 1858. This leaf is notable because the decorative borders are woodcut reproductions of a Fifteenth Century Book of Hours. (17 x12 cm.)

Leaf (p. 196, steel engraving vignette “Hymn to the Flowers” by Hoarce Smith) from Gallery of English and American Poets. Printed in 1859 in Philadelphia by C. Sherman & Son, and published by E.H. Butler & Co. (28 x 19 cm.)

Leaf (174) from the Annual Register for the year 1788. Printed in 1790 by J. Dodsley, at London.

Leaf (p. 163, m2) from The Book of Wisdom and Lies, by Oliver Wardrop. Printed at the Kelmscott Press for Bernard Quaritch, London, 1894. (21 x 14 cm.)

From Rackham Illustration, a delightful engraving from the great book illustrator. Leaf illustration dated 1910.

Leaf (p. 128) from A Bruce Rogers Folio, a limited edition of Sir Thomas More's Utopia, printed in New York at the Rudge Press in 1937. (26 x 17 cm.)

Leaf (Plate CCLXXIV) from Encyclopaedia, or a Dictionary of Arts, Science and Miscellaneous Literature. This leaf has a full page of copper engravings.

Leaf (p. 729) from Encyclopaedia, or a Dictionary of Arts, Science and Miscellaneous Literature. This is the first American Edition published in 1798 at Philadelphia by Thomas Dobson who printed at “The Stone House, No. 41 South Second Street.”

Leaf (p. 225) from, The Alhambra, by Washington Irving. Printed in 1832 at Philadelphia by Cary & Lea; is the first edition. (19 x 12 cm)

Leaf (p. 41) from Catlin’s American Indian Letters, printed by Tosswill and Myers at London, 1841. (24 x 15 cm)

Leaf (p. 158, plate of a battle) from Catlin’s American Indian Letters, printed by Tosswill and Myers at London, 1841. (24 x 15 cm)

Leaf (p. 28) of a music page, a lithograph sheet of music engraved on stone by F. Martelli and printed in 1845, at Naples. (34 x 25 cm)

Leaf from George Cruikshank Etching from the Riverside edition of the works of Charles Dickens, 1869-1870. (19 x 14 cm)

Leaf from Persian printed book. Dated 1879. (33 x 21 cm)

From a Chap-book chaplets, a hand colored illustration from original woodcut by Joseph Crawhall, published by Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, 1883, and printed by Feld and Tuer. (29 x 22 cm)

From Bird and Bull Press, a Babylonian Anthology translated from Akkadian by William White, Jr. printed by Henry Morris of North Hills, Penna. (27 x 22 cm)

Leaf of Persian Manuscript from the Koran. Leaf is illuminated in gold and blue with a floral motif. Dated possibly around the Seventeenth Century. (23 x 14 cm)

Leaf (p. 61) from the Hebrew Pentateuch, printed in four volumes by Pierre de la Roviere in Geneva, 1617-18. (22 x 17 cm.)

Leaf (p. 247) from an Irish law book, containing the Statutes of Ireland from the reign of King Edward up to and including part of that of James I. Printed by the Society of Stationers at Dublin in 1621. (26 x 18 cm.)

Leaf (Aaa 3, p. 365) from Willliam Camden's Annalles of Elizabeth, or rather from Darcie's translation from a French translation of Camden's original work, which was written in Latin. Printed for Benjamin Fisher in London, 1625. (23 x 17 cm.)

Leaf (p. 533) from The Herball or Generall historie of plantes gathered by John Gerarde of London; printed by Thomas Johnson in London, 1633. (35 x 22 cm.)

Leaf (p. 488) from the Iconologia of Cesare Ripa of Perugia, with amplifications by Giovanni Zaratino Castellini, printed by Niccolo Pezzana at Venice in 1669. (23 x 17 cm.)

Box IV

Egyptian scarab, ca. 1000 B.C. with hieroglyphics. Accompanied by a portion of clay which shows sign of the scarab in relief.

Babylonian clay tablet ca. 2500 B.C. with cuneiform characters.

Babylonian cylinder seal, ca. 2000 B.C. with Sumerian inscription; accompanied by a portion of clay which shows the inscription in relief.

Oversized

Leaf from the King James Bible; printed by Robert Barker, 1611, London. (41 x 27 cm.)

Leaf (pg. 277) from early travel book on the New World, by John Ogilby. Publishes at London in 1671. (39 x 25 cm)

Leaf (p. 165?) from a Spanish antiphonary of the 17th century, typical of the Catholic choir books of that period, particularly in Spain. (40 x 28 cm.)

Leaf (Medicago polymorhpa) from Flora Londinensis, compiled and written by William Curtis, from the 1st edition, 1773, and printed in London.

From Piranesi Etching, an example of the work of the famous architectural etcher. On hand made paper from the fourth edition and fourth volume of Le Antichita Romane, 1774.

Leaf (No. III) from Christophori Cellarii, smalcaldensis, Geographia antiqua, a “Complete Set of Maps of Ancient Geography”. Printed at London in 1799 by F. & C. Rivington. Most likely engraved by R.W. Seale.

Leaf “Lancaster Sands” from Turner’s Picturesque views in England and Wales, reproduced in permanent photography with descriptive and historical illustrations, an early use of the photography medium, R. Brandard was the photographer. Published by Bell and Daldy, York Street London, 1873 and printed by Chiswick Press in London.(37 x 27 cm)